Exploring the Pen Name

With Guest Blogger and Author Michael S. Witherspoon

(During the month of June, here at Today the Dragon Wins we explore the use of pseudonyms. Don't forget to participate in the discussion in the comment field to enter the contest for a copy of the eBook version of Choices Meant for Gods. Details were posted June 1.)

Why Do I Use a Pseudonym?

Well first off I want people to remember my name and not get it confused with others and just blend in. I was born Michael A. Morris. Do you have a clue as to how many Morrises there are and also Michael A. or MA Morrises? I think Morris must come in right behind Smith and Jones in the phone book, but don’t quote me on that.

I thought of using King or Steinbeck or maybe even Hemmingway but I was afraid I might get into trouble if I did. The next best thing was to use my mother’s maiden name, Witherspoon. To my knowledge (which I am willing to admit is somewhat limited) there is only one other famous Witherspoon and that would be Reese, the actress. We look nothing alike, but due to where she is from and where my granddad grew up, there's a remote possibility that we might be kin. Either way I would be glad to take any of the men she casts off. My grandfather on my mother’s side was Thomas Harding Witherspoon, but to me he was always Daddy Bud. He was more of a father to me than my own and we won’t get into that.

Mom chose Michael for my name because she liked it and my middle name is the same as my father’s so that's out the window. Mom was Stella Louise Witherspoon Morris and I found out years ago that Stella means star (it is right in the word con-stella-tion) and since I plan on being a STAR, I came up with Stellar as my middle name. Someday I would like to have it legally changed to that but for now it’s just my pseudonym, Michael S. Witherspoon. Watch for it to show up on bookshelves, if they stock enough of my work, that is.

I encourage you to check out Michael's work at www.freewebs.com/the_author_mike/. He's not only got a great sense of humor, but a great sense of how humans think and relate. I've been honored to read part of his someday-to-be-released novel Jessie Remembers, and I can't wait to be part of the team that promotes the stuffin's out of it.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Michael S. Witherspoon, Jessie Remembers, pseudonym, pen name, dragon